Resources

Access a variety of podcasts, film, articles and case studies of suffrage campaigners to support subject knowledge for both teachers and students, covering the history of women at the hustings from the 17th century right up to questions of citizenship and equality today. There are also a number of fully resourced history enquiries and citizenship activities in the Activities section.

Born: 1836
Died: 1917
Occupation: doctor
Claims to fame: first female doctor to qualify in the UK; also town mayor of Aldeburgh – the first female town mayor in England
Becoming a doctor
Elizabeth Garrett was born in London and later lived in Suffolk. She had several siblings, one of...

Born: 1891
Died: 1972
Occupation: social campaigner
Claims to fame: one of the most famous women pursued by the police as a suffragette, with wanted posters of her
Her background
Lilian grew up in Leicester and trained as a professional dancer. She was inspired to join the WSPU after hearing...

Born: 1824
Died: 1894
Occupation: lecturer and doctor
Claims to fame: she was an abolitionist and a suffragist
Her background
Sarah was born in Salem, Massachusetts in the USA into a family of successful businesspeople, entrepreneurs and anti-slavery campaigners. Despite being born free, her parents had experienced racism and were...

Born: 1831
Died: 1903
Occupation: journalist and writer
Claims to fame: one of the early female writers on a newspaper
Her background
Isa was born in Edinburgh, the only child of John Craig, a glove-maker who died when she was young. She left school aged ten, probably to find work...

Born: 1875
Died: 1953
Occupation: social campaigner
Claims to fame: used her wheelchair to distribute leaflets and parade the WSPU colours
Her background
May (as she preferred to be called) was from Lewisham in London and joined the WSPU in 1907. She had polio as a child, leaving her partially...

Born: 1876
Died: 1948
Occupation: socialite, nurse and campaigner
Claims to fame: involvement in ‘Black Friday’, high social class and background, tendency towards militant activity
Her background
Sophia’s father was the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire in India and she was born a princess. British rule in India meant...

Born: 1865
Died: 1959
Occupation: artist and writer
Claims to fame: originated the idea of the 1911 census boycott
Early life
Laurence Housman was born in Bromsgrove, in a middle-class family. He was close to his sister, Clemence. In 1909, Laurence and Clemence helped to found the Suffrage Atelier (SA)....

Anna 1828–1914; Mary 1830–1914
Occupation: social campaigners
Claims to fame: formed the WLA in Bristol
In the north-east of England
Sisters Anna and Mary Priestman were born in Newcastle. Their family were Quakers and active in social reform, such as anti-slavery movements. As girls, they helped their mother by sewing...

Born: 1864
Died: 1954
Occupation: factory worker, mother, campaigner
Claims to fame: founded the first London Branch of the WSPU
Her background
Minnie Rogers was born into a poor family in Bow, East London. She worked in the hard conditions of a factory from a young age to support herself....

Born: 1833
Died: 1918
Occupation: teacher and reformer
Claims to fame: key campaigner, Married Women’s Property Act 1882
Her background
Elizabeth was born in Manchester. She left school aged 16 and worked as a governess, then set up a girls’ school. She became a passionate advocate for girls’ education. In...